smith



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

F. E. SMITH. SEED oo'rToN GLEANBR'AND GQNVEYBR.

No. 494,902. Patented Apr. 4, 1893.

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BY '2am ATTORNEYS,

Wi NESSES.'

y@ L @mg {No Model.) I 2 Sheets-.Sheet 2.

F. E. SMITH. l SEED COTTON CLEANER AND GONVEYER.

No. 494,902.r 'Patentedpn 4, 1893.a

WJTNESSES; /Ni/E H A TTHNE YS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FERDINAND E. SMITI'LOF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, ASSIGNOR TO THE SMITH SONS GIN AND MACHINE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

vSEED-COTTON CLEANER AND GONVEYER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 494,902, dated April. 4, 1893.

Application filed November 9, 1892. Serial No. 451,466. (No model.)

To all whom it i12/ty concern:

Be it known that I, FERDINAND E. SMITH, residing at Birmingham, Jefferson county, in the State of Alabama, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Seed Cotton Cleaners and Oonveyers, ot' which the following is a specification.

My invention is in the nature of an improved seed cotton cleaner designed to take the cotton mixed with seed, dirt and other trash as it comes from the eld, and clean it of such dirt and trash and then feed it to any convenient receptacle such asa gin stand or' bin. It relates to that class of seed cotton cleaners in which the cotton with its seed and impurities are fed to the cleaning device by pneumatic action; and it consists in a novel construction and arrangement of parts operating upon this principlavwhich accomplishes the objects sought in a very convenient, efective and practical manner, as will be hereinafter fully described.

Figure l is a perspective view of the cleaner, with the outer case partly broken away. Fig. 2 is a plan view ot' the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the saine taken on line 3-8 of Fig. 2, and Fig. t is a similar view taken online 4 4: of Fig. 2 at right angles to thevplane of Fig. 3.

In the drawings A represents an upright frame-work in the upper part of which is constructed a tight casing B communicating with a funnel-shaped chamberB below. In the up-. per part of the casing there revolves a vertical screen cylinder C whose sid es are composed of Woven wire. The shaft of this cylinder is stepped upon a bearing bat its lower end, and its upper end is provided with a bevel `gear K which receives motion fromasmaller bevel gear L on a shaft M driven bya band pulley N. Any other means for rotating the cylinder may, however, be employed. Just below the cylinder C there is a stationary funnel E which at its lower end communicates with a suction pipe F which emerges through the side of the casing and communicates with an exhausting device for drawing air out of the cylinder. The upper edge of this stationary funnel E is flanged at a to form a close joint with the revolving woven wire cylinder.

J is the induction pipe through which the air and cotton laden with impurities pass, the draft or feed being induced bythe suction in pipe F. One end of the induction pipeJ communicates with the upper part of the casing, and the other end extends to the wagon or receptacle containing the cotton to be treated and cleaned.

At the bottom of the part B ot' the casing there is a valve composed of three parts GVG G2, which valve slides in guide ways d d, Fig. @L upon an imperforate base Il. The middle portion G of the valve has an imperforate top which, when the valve is in the position of Fig. 3, forms the bottom of the casing. The chambers G- and G2 on opposite sides of G are merely cells closed on four sides but open at both top and bottom. These cells correspond in size and shape to the opening at the bottom of chamber B, so that the walls of the cell accurately tit this opening when under the same, and, in connection with the subjacent stationary base board H, prevent air from entering the chamber B through the cells when they are under the opening. These three sections are operated together with a reciprocating motion under the casing, and for this purpose they are connected by link R with the lower end of lever Q which at its upper end is connected by ptman P to a crank O on wheel K.

I is a door opening into the lower part of the casing. This is used for stopping the induction or feed of cotton as hereinafter described. v

The operation of this device is as follows: The suction fan at the end of pipe F being set in motion, a partial vacuum is set up within the casing which draws strongly through pipe J carrying the seed cotton and impurities with it. This seed cot-ton with the seed and adhering impurities is distributed against the cylinder C of woven wire and the dirt, dust, and small impurities pass at once through the meshes to the interior of the screen cylinder, and pass out directly through the suction pipe F. As the cylinder C revolves it will be seen that new portions of the screen are brought constantly to receive the seed cotton, and as it strikes the cylinder it drops oft', being loosened by centrifugal action, and falls to the bottom of the casing,

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' where it accumulates. As the valve G G Gr2 moves back andforth, the part Gwhen under the casing allows a quantity of cleaned cotton to accumulate thereon. Then when the compartment G' passes under chamber B this quantity of clean cotton drops into the rcell G. When the'valve moves the other' way'a quantity of clean cotton again accumu-y Y cleaned cotton drops on opposite sides of theV machine it may fall directly into two ginV stands or it may be deposited upon a belt or carrier and be distributed as desired. If it is desired to stop the action of the machine,

Vit is not necessary to stop the exhaust fan,

but instead thereof. the door I in the casing is opened, and the draft ofthe suction fan Y' 'Y then instead of operating to continue the feed in pipe .I is short circuited by the ingress of fresh air at the open door Iwhich causes said draft to be no longer felt in pipe J, and the feedof the cotton ceases.`

With reference to the merits of my machine, I would state that the revolving cylindrical screen presents a clear and unob,- structed surface to the impact of the cotton, which is free to drop from gravity as the screen revolves, thus presenting a constantly new and clean surface to the cotton, and preventing the clogging of the screen, and permitting the sand and dirt to be readily and completely separated and carried out by the draft. The valve also affords a positive, automatic, effective, and simple means of getting the seed cotton outwithout impairing the draft by a leakage of air.

With reference to the means shown for working the valve, I would state that for the best results in automatic Working, the mechanism O P Q R should be so modified as to give a quick adjustment to the valve in shifting the cells, so that any one of the cells may not remain long in partial registration with the bottom of chamber B, as they would allow air to pass down one cell of the valve and leak upwardly into the chamber B, which would impair the positiveness of the suction and in a measure affect the pneumatic feeding of the cotton. Iu merely` show the lever, links, and crank, to illustrate theautomatic operation of the valve, but do not confine myself at all to the construction shown. Y.

Having thusdescribed my invention, what I claim isf Y l. In a seed cotton cleaner, the combination of a tight casing, an induction pipe J for thek seed cotton and air openinginto the upper part of the casing, a revolving cylindrical screen C arranged within the casing about a vertical axis, a suction pipe F passing through Y the lower portion of the casingy and communicating with the lower open end of the cylindrical screen, and a discharge valve'fcr the cleaned cotton arranged at the bottom of the casing substantially as shown and described.

2. In a seed cotton cleaner,-the combination of a tight casing,an induction pipe .l for per part cf the casing, a revolving cylindrical screen C arranged within the casing about a vertical axis, a suction pipe F passing through the casing and communicating with the lower open end of Vthe screen, a draft regulating door I opening into the casing to short circuit the draft and stop the feed, and a valve arranged yat the bottom of the casing to permit the seed cotton and air opening into the upthe discharge of the cleaned cotton substanthe casing, and a suction pipe passing through the sides of the lower part of the case and flared at its upper end to connect with the cylindrical screen, substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination of the casing B B', the valve G G G2 arranged at the bottom thereof, the induction pipe J opening through the top portion of the casing, the vertical revolving screen C arranged in the upper part of the casing, the suction pipe E F communicating with the lower end of the cylindrical screen and passing through the side of the casing, and the pitman P, lever Q, and link bar R, connecting the cylinder shaft with the valve to impart a reciprocating motion to the latter, substantially as shown and described.

FERDINAND E. SMITH. l/Vitnesses:

A. W. SMITH, Z. T. RUDOLPH.

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